Sometimes, neither legal separation nor divorce is obligatory to dissolve legal marital unions between couples—an annulment may be the way to go. When you and your partner have an annulment, it means the judge is proclaiming that your marital union was null and void in the first place and thus treats it unlawfully, as though it never occurred.
We have two kinds of annulments- civil and religious. The basis for annulment differs between civil and religious annulments. When it comes to religious annulments, every religion has its unique grounds and rules to annul a marital union. And for civil annulments, the grounds generally include concealment, misunderstanding, fraud, or incapability to consummate the marital union.
In California, not just anybody can have their marriage annulled. There are specific circumstances in which they're allowed. They include:
- If the husband/wife has suffered an incurable physical incapacity
- If the husband or wife was below eighteen years or of an unsound mind when they entered the union
- If that marriage happened by force or through fraud
- If a marital union was between close relatives or siblings
- If the husband/wife was already married when they married their other partner (annulment for bigamy)
Also, remember time limits exist on most of these bases for annulment, and there's a lot of legal paperwork you'll be required to fill out as well as procedural rules and regulations to follow. A hearing must also be finally held. Therefore, annulments aren't automatic, neither are they easy. It takes actual legal skills to sail through the process.
